So one of the things that annoyed me (notice I said one) with Days of Future Past (Oh don’t get me wrong I loved the film) was the major plot holes that no one thought about it.
Like what happened to the plane filled with Mutants after Mystique ‘rescued’ them? No really? Did they just fly off into the sunset?
And I’m not even going to discuss the inability that the government could build a concrete/plastic prison for Erik in what 5 seconds? And y’all do realize that you need metal rebar for concrete construction … right?
A Single Shot (Prequel to this story)
***
Alex followed Stryker into the barracks, knowing that the guy was a) an asshole b) an asshole and c) likely going to either kill or kidnap the small group of Mutants that the army had put together to fight in this goddamn war.
He had the bad luck of having his birthday called. Though if he was honest with himself, he was happy it hadn’t been Sean or Hank. Neither Mutant would’ve been able to handle the horrors he had seen.
Sean was still at University of South California, by this time getting his Phd. Charles made sure he stayed safely away from Vietnam.
Irony, Hank’s feet got him out of the war. His birthday had been called soon after Alex’s, but he failed the physical. Hank had laughed and cried at the irony that the government had turned him away because of his Mutation. The one he hated all his life, only for it to save his life. Erik had sat at the Kitchen table and stared at Hank, not sure if he was offended for him for not being accepted or wanting to lecture him for wanting to get rid of it.
In the end he was thrilled that Hank was safely tucked away in the laboratories at the school.
Darwin lived up to his namesake, and was never called up, and instead moved to Los Angeles, keeping an eye on Sean.
The school hadn’t quite taken off over the past decade. Too many were afraid of their own Mutations. Others lost to the war. Charles took in those he could, gave them some training or education, and then helped them find a new path.
Alex had been thankful for his friends for keeping him sane, sending him care packages from Helen. Notes from Charles kept him going, and the years at war honed his ability to control his mutation. Letters from Erik, made him laugh and he would be forever thankful that dad had put contingency plans into place.
He hadn’t been sure what the plans were until Azazel and Erik arrived in the middle of a firefight.
Erik stood in the open field, holding all the bullets and grenades in mid air, as Azazel got everyone he could out. Alex stayed until Azazel could grab him and Erik, refusing to leave without dad.
Charles would never forgive him.
They ended up two miles to the south, near one of the American bases. Erik told him to stay out of trouble, and the two disappeared. No one questioned it, the Mutants on his squad asked if they were part of the Brotherhood, Alex nodded. The humans on the squad were willing to accept the devil could actually be an angel.
“Sir, is there a reason you brought us here?” Alex asked, eyeing Stryker. He remembered the boys father, didn’t like him either. He paused, when he saw the soldiers step away from the walls, guns drawn. “It’s going to be like that I see…”
Just then Stryker’s skin shifted until standing before him was Mystique. She took out each of the guards, with ease startling the rest of the Mutants. Alex channeled his power through his arm and out his fist taking out the last two.
“What are you doing here?” he asked as the last guard fell.
“Saving you.”
“I don’t think so. I’m just reaping the benefit of whatever you have planned here.” Alex gave her look, knowing she had her own agenda. “I’m sure Erik didn’t send you.”
“No, he’s still being coddled by Charles.”
Alex sighed, the bitchiness between the two hadn’t stopped over the past decade, and it wasn’t worth the fight. “Now what?”
“I’m hunting Trask.” She shifted back into Stryker and headed for the door. “He was expecting your unit at one of his labs.”
Alex stood in front of his men, who watched everything intently. They had gotten used to weird shit happening around them. They also respected their Captain, knowing he would protect them. Many had heard his stories of Charles and Erik, and the school they were building. Some had been curious, others scoffed. But in the end they all watched and waited.
“We will not be your sacrifice.”
She glared at him. “I wouldn’t betray my fellow Mutants!”
“So that wasn’t you who almost got Erik killed?” he snarled.
On a rare trip back to the states, he had gone home. The place had been quiet … too quiet. He learned Erik was resting, recovering from a major relapse.
It was in the middle of the night over a bottle of scotch when Charles told him what happened.
Erik had stepped in to help Emma with a situation, they had discovered the government was moving soldiers who were obvious Mutants to a lab. The few who had families, who cared enough to seek out what happened to their loved ones, were told they died in the war. She needed Erik’s help, Angel and Janus were down in South America working on a seperate mission.
Charles tagged along, to keep an eye on Erik. The Mutant had been sick a month prior and still had a heavy cough.
With ease the Brotherhood had gotten into the lab, leaving Charles talking sweetly to the guards in the front, keeping them distracted. Azazel moved the prisoners, while Emma interrogated the ‘Doctors’. Erik made sure the labs were destroyed and nothing could be gained from their experiments.
As they were leaving, it was Mystique who had discovered there was a network of labs, all owned by Trask. She deviated off the plan, and went into Trask’s office disguised as the man himself.
The only problem, he was in his office and sounded the alarm.
Erik yanked her out, slamming Trask against the wall.
She shifted and blended in with personal as they evacuated the facility.
Erik ended up surrounded by security guards their guns drawn. Charles walked down the hallway, convincing everyone that Erik was harmless. letting the two of them, escape with the rest of the staff.
When they returned to the school Charles, in a rare show of anger, yelled at her for leaving Erik behind. He didn’t care what her attitude was about their relationship, she abandoned a fellow Mutant and a teammate.
She shrugged, and gave the excuse that Erik could control their weapons.
Charles sharply reminded her the last time he faced off against someone with a gun, he was shot.
When Erik yelled at the pair of them, he ended up in a violent coughing fit. Charles pulled out a handkerchief and was by his side instantly. Then panicked when he saw blood soaking into the white. He yelled for Hank, only to yelp when Dr. Gregory appeared out of nowhere. Kurt held onto the doctor’s hand pointing at his Vater, demanding help.
Gregory didn’t blink, used to the unique family, and went to work. He took Erik out of his Charles’ arms and led him towards the bedroom, with the young teleporter holding tightly onto his Vater’s hand.
Charles turned on his sister, and in a voice calmer than anyone expected, told her to get out.
They hadn’t spoken since.
Alex had checked on Erik before he got shipped back out. He hadn’t seen him that pale since Cuba. Despite the underlying fear of losing someone he cared about he couldn’t help but awe at the sight of Peter and Kurt sleeping against their father’s side.
Erik may still be an asshole, but he is a good father, despite what he or others think.
It was soon after, Mystique parted ways with the Brotherhood, hell bent on going after Trask.
“I’m pretty sure, even Emma is now after your head. There’s helping your fellow Mutants, and then there’s going rogue and getting them killed.”
“Well at least I’m doing something.” She pushed against him. “Unlike my pathetic brother and his lover. So how many kids are they teaching, exactly?”
“Well it’s not like they’re raising yours or anything.” He stepped back, knowing she was likely to lash out. “I’m not sending my unit to their deaths.”
“They’ll die here.” She pointed out, glancing at the door. “It’s not like the government is going to let you go home.”
“It’s not like you’re our only transportation out of here.”
Mystique stepped back the moment Azazel poofed into the barracks. He gave his once lover a look, before focusing on everyone else in the room. “For those who want safety or just out of this hell hole, grab on. Those who want to go with beautiful yet deadly Mystique on her crusade – stay here.”
Alex stopped being surprised that a few always stayed behind.
Hah! Yes! Love the twisty way you’re fitting this to the story yet not… Excellent!